Gripper mechanism



Sept 21 1926. 1,600,196

J. R. BLAINE GRIPPER MECHANISM Filed Oct. 26, 1922 Patented Sept, 21, 1926.

STATS JOSEPH R. BLAINE, OF OAK PARK, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO MIEI-ILE PRINTING PRESS & MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATOIN OF ILLINOIS.

GRIPPER MECHANISM.

Application filed October 26, 1922. Serial No. 596,939.

This invention relates to gripper mechamsm.

an improved gripper for use on printing press cylinders, which gripper after its gripper point is seated on the fed sheet cannot move the sheet or move with respect thereto in a manner to cause the sheet to move out of register.

Another object is to provide a simple, durable and efficient gripper in which the gripper point and its operating shaft are relatlvely movable, additionalmovement of the shaft after the gripper point is seated not causing additional movement of the gripper point.

Another object is to provide an inexpen sive gripper in which the associated parts cooperate in a manner to meet all of the requirements under operating conditions.

These and other objects are accomplished by means of the arrangement disclosed on the accompanying sheet of drawings, in which e e Figure 1 is. a side elevation of my 1 mproved gripper mechanism, the operatln'g shaft and a portion of the printmg press cylinder being shown in section;

Figure 2 is a rear elevation of the gripper mechanism; and i Figure 3 is a sectional view taken in the plane of line 3-3 of Figure 2.

The various novel features of the invention will be apparent from the following description and drawings, and will be particularly pointed out in the appended claims. I

' Referring to the figures of the drawings,

it will be noted that I have disclosed my invention in connection, with a printing press cylinder 10 in which there is mounted an operating shaft 11 having an oscillatory movement. I

The gripper proper includes a gripper point 12 anda clamp body 13. Preferably the clamp body is formed of a single piece of sheet metal and includes two side walls 1 1 and a top wall 15 from which extends a bracket 16 terminating in a barrel 17 for the reception of a spring 18 pressing upon the gripper point 12 for yieldably holding One object of the invention is to provide the latter in position upon the cylinder pad 19 or a sheet of material placed thereon.

. The clamp body is secured to the operat ing shaft 11 in a mariner such that, when the clamp body is secured in position, there can be no relative movement between the operating shaft '11 and the clamp body 13.

To this end the shaft 11 is provided with a V-shaped groove 20 into which a V-shaped key 21'fits. Thekey is engaged by a coneshaped end of a clamp screw 22 which extends through the top portion 15 of the clamp member 13 and cooperateswith a nut 23 whereby the clamp bodyis rigidly secured to the operating shaft 11.

It will be understood that the gripper point 12 and the clamp body 13 are not integrally formed but are two separate pieces. The rear portion or tail of the gripper point is located between the side walls 14 of the clamp body and is formedin a loop to fit the operating shaft 11. Furthermore, the tail of the gripper point is bifurcated to form twowings 24 which are interposed between'the side walls 1 k and the key 2.1, the rear wall 25 formed by the bifurcation "of the tail portion of the gripper point'engagarm" ries ing the key in a manner to limit counterclockwise movement of .thegripper point 12, as viewed in Figures 1 and 3, when the operating shaft 11is moved in a manner I I to raise the gripper point from cylinder pad 19. In other words, the key. 21 actsas a stop for the gripper point to prevent uncontrolled movement of the latter under the tension of the spring 18 when the gripper point is raised from the cylinder pad 19. From an inspection of Figures 1 and 3 of the drawings, it will be apparent that the gripper pivots about the center of the opmoves downwardly into engagement with the sheet of material on the pad Any 2a] 7 V 1,eoo,reo

continued movement of the operating shaft in a counterclockwise direction, after the gripper point is seated upon the sheet of material, is not transmitted to the gripper point-,-the excess movement being absorbed by the spring 18. As a result of the fact that the gripper point does not move further in the same direction after .it passes into engagement with the sheet material, there can be no slippage of the sheet and accordingly, the sheet cannot be moved out of register. As mentioned above, if the operating shaft 11 does oscillate an additional amount in a counterclockwise direction after the gripper engages the sheet of -materia1, the key 21 will pass out of engragement-withthe stop wall on the grip per point tail, and whenthe operating shaft nag-am moves in a clockwisedirection, the key 21 will pass into engagement with said stop wall 25' for preventing uncontrolled movement of the gripper point when the latter is raised from thecylinder pad 19 or the sheet material thereon.

It is my intention to cover all modificati'ons of'the' invention falling within the spirit. and scope of thefollowing claims.

I claim: I 1. In gr pper mechan1s'in,.the combination of za support clamp body secured to said support, an a gripper po'int operatively associated with said clamp body, yieldably pressed-toward the latter upon a continued 7 clamping movementof said clamp-body and independently connected to said support whereby there may be no slippage of a gripped sheet aftersaichg'ipper point is slated upon said sheet.

2. In gripper mechanism,- the combination of asupport, a clamp body secured to said support, and a gripper point mountedwith in said clamp body and independentlycon:

nected to said support whereby said clamp body and gripper point may hare a relative movement during a clamping movement to prevent changing the register of a sheet after the gripper point is seated upon the sheet.

sheet.

4. In gripper mechanism, the combination ofi an actuating member, a clamp body securedtliereto, a gripper point: momm mounted an; said member and within said lam ibedy, means interposed between said clainp' hody and grip'penpoint for" aberene lampin mevenmit seer the gripper point engagessheet being gripped.

5. In gripper mechanism, the combination of a support-,a clamp body secured to said support, a gripper point movably mounted on said support, and means associated with said clamp body and gripper point for limiting movement of said gripper point in a given direction when said clamp body is moved in a different direction.

6. In gripper;mechanisnnthe combination of a support, a clamp body secured-to said support, a gripper point'movably mounted on said support and within said clamp body, and a spring interposed between said clamp body and gripper point fonabsorbing excess gripping movement oftheclamp body which otherwise would be transmitted to said gripper point.

7. In gripper mechanism, the-combination of a support, a clamp body seeuredto said support, a gripper'point movahly mounted on said stipport,a spring interpose dbet ween sai d clamp body and gripper point for absorbing excess gripping movement of the clamp b'od'ywhich otherwise Would be transmitted to said gripper point, and means associated with said clamp body and gripper point for limit relative movement between said clamp body and" gripper point in a direct-ion in which said spring tends to amethegfip per point. p 7 i 8. In a gripper n'iecha'nrsimthe comma tion of a: support having a V-shaped groove,

a V shap'ed key mounted in said groove, a clamp body mounted, on said support, and a clamping. screw associated with said clamp body having a pone-shaped end pas nginto said V-shaped key whereby the clamp-body rigidly heldin position.

9. In gripper mechanism, the combination of a en 1' orthavi'nd a V-sha" edb t) L5 move, a

V-shaped key mounted in. said grcove, aw

clamp hodyniounted on said support, a clamping screw associated with said clamp body having a cone-shaped end passing-1mm said ill-shaped key whereby the clamp is rigidly held in position, and a gripper point mov'al'ily mounted on said support having a portion engageabl'e with said'key for limiting movement of saidgripp'er'point in one direction. 1

10. In gripper mechanism,thevcombination or an actuating shaft having a \i shapee groove therein, a clampbody mounted on said shaft, a V-shaped ,key fitting within said groove, a: screw operatively connected to said clamp body and having coneshaped end fitting into said key whereby said clamp. body is rigidly held oil said shaft, said clamp bodyihaving side walls, anda gripper point 'mo'vably mm iatea on said st p inter-mediate said clamp body side walQs. I i I em, a clam said shaft, a V-shaped key fitting Within said groove, a screw operatively connected to said clamp body and having-a cone-shaped end fitting into said key whereby said clamp body is rigidly held on said shaft, said clamp body having side Walls, a gripper point movably mounted on said shaft intermediate said clamp body side Walls, and a spring interposed between said clamp body movement point.

Signed at Chicago, Illinois, this 23rd day of October, 1922.

JOSEPH R. BLAINE. 

